October 16, 2006
Press contact: Audrey Fischer (202) 707-0022, afis@loc.gov
Lisa Sherman-Cohen, Harry N. Abrams Inc. (212) 519-1202,
lsherman@hnabooks.com
COMIC ART IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS IS SUBJECT OF NEW BOOK
“Cartoon America” to Be Published in Conjunction with Art Wood Exhibition
“Cartoon America: Comic Art in the Library of Congress” will be published next month by the Library of Congress in association with Harry N. Abrams. Published in conjunction with the Library of Congress’ exhibition of original art from the collection of J. Arthur Wood Jr., “Cartoon America” is a treasure trove for scholars and enthusiasts of this distinctly American art form.
“The Library of Congress began to collect and preserve cartoons and caricatures within decades of its founding in 1800, recognizing their value as vehicles of social and political commentary and as original works of art,” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. “As a result, the Library has amassed one of the greatest collections of original cartoon art – a cornucopia of cartoon treasures and creative genius drawn from the American past.”
Edited by Harry Katz, former head curator of the Library’s Prints and Photographs Division, “Cartoon America” celebrates 250 years of American cartooning with examples of original works by the most accomplished creators in the history of comic illustration, including Thomas Nast, Charles Schultz, Jules Feiffer, Rube Goldberg and many others. With accompanying essays written exclusively for this volume by such luminaries as John Updike, Art Spiegelman and Chris Ware, “Cartoon America” includes many firsts and one-of-a-kinds, including cels from Walt Disney Productions and Hanna-Barbera, vintage editorial cartoons, award-winning drawings, magazine illustrations and much more.
The book is a companion volume to the exhibition titled “Cartoon America: Highlights from the Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature,” which will be on display from Nov. 2, 2006, through Jan. 27, 2007, in the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building. The exhibition will feature 100 masterworks from Wood’s collection of more than 36,000 original cartoons drawings, which are housed in the Library’s Prints and Photographs Division.
“Cartoon America,” a 324-page hardcover book featuring 275 full-color illustrations, is available for $50 in bookstores nationwide and the Library of Congress Sales Shop, Washington, DC 20540-4985. Credit card orders are taken at (888) 682-3557. Online orders can be placed at www.loc.gov/shop.
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PR 06-196
10/16/06
ISSN 0731-3527
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